Well-drilling machine



L. B. EKAS.-

Patented Nov; 22, 1921.

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APPLICATION man AUG. 12. 1919.

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WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1Z. 1919,

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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L. B. EKAS.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I2, I919. V 1 ,397,758, Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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TION FlL ED AUG. 12, 1919.

Patented Nov. 22, 192 1'.

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WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED Aue.12. 1919.

1,397,758, Patented Nov. 22,1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WELL-DRILLING MAGHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed August 12, 19191 Serial No. 316,934.

sary to move the machine from one well to another.

Another object is to provide a machine in which the power for operating the tools is applied in substantially a direct line.

Another object is to provide a machine of few and simple parts so united and braced that the machine is made solid and rigid and substantially free of vibration, to the end that it can be used in the drilling of wells of great depth.

invention consists in a, machinehave ing a framework which 1s 1n the mam mortised, wedged and braced so that the main parts can be easily taken apart, when required.

It further consists in a main drive-shaft journaled in the frame and having a crank on each .end, with means for applying the power at a point between the crankcase and substantially in direct line with the vertical plane of the working too1's,"in connection with transmission mechanism mounted upon and adapted to be driven or not by Said shaft, and means located between the cranks for clutching or unclutching the transmission, one crank being adapted to actuate the walking-beam, and theother the spudding mechanism of the well drilling machine.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;"

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the base showing the location and arrangement of the various posts and parts erected thereon;

Fig. 5 is a view of the hingewhich connects the mast and the base;

Figs. 6,7 and 8 are details.

The base isgpreferably composed of the several mud sills 1, of which there are four shown laid transversely, and three other sills, namely the main sill 2, the bull-wheel andsand-reel tail-sill 3, and the sub-sill 4: about midway between. Said main sill, bullwheel and sand-reel tail-sill, and sub-sill, are all preferably mortised in the four mud SlllS and held rigidly therein by means of. the wedges 5 driven into the mortises of the mud sills alongsidethe" main sill, bullwheel and sand-reel tail-sill and sub-sill, thus making a solid, rigid base structure, which is capable of being tightened up if, at any time, necessary, by merely driving the wedges farther in, and which can be dismantled and taken apart by driving the wedges out.

Mounted ,on these sills are the various parts of the well drilling machine. Erected on the main sill and mortised and wedged thereto are the samson post 6, the jackpost 7, and the front bull-wheel post 8. While the jack-post and front bull-wheel post are preferably set up at right-anglesto the main sill, the samson post is more or less inclined, and is seton the sill diag onally (as shown in Fig. 4) to provide for the walking-beam 7, which is pivotally supported thereon by the usual center-irons 8',

andWhich in consequence extends in a direction diagonally to the main sill with its the sub-sill.

Over the tops of the jack-post and front bull-wheel post the cap-sill 9 is bolted, and its forward end extends to the samson post to which it is bolted, forming a brace for said part. As a further means of making these several posts rigid, the braces 10 and 11 are dropped into mortises in the main sill, jack-post, cap-sill and samson post, and a brace 12 extending in the opposite direction is dropped into the mortise in the samson post and in the main sill, where it is held by the wedge 13, which thus holds the several braces, hereinbefore mentioned, securely in place. i

A side brace 14 is dropped into a mortise in the inner side of the samson post, and thence in a mortise in one of the mud sills, and a brace rod 15 extends from the samson post diagonally to the sub-sill, and thus with the several braces the samson post as well as the jack-post and front bull wheel post are made perfectly tight and rigid.

Opposite the front bull wheel post 8 is the rear bull wheel post 16 mortised to the bull-wheel and sand-reel sub-sill, and this post is made rigid by a brace 17 having its with 'a hand-lever 24, by which the operator applies the brake;

i A cross-brace extends from the front to the rear bull-wheel post for bracing the two laterally, andjthis brace has a guide 26 which straddles the brake and brake-wheel, thus supporting them laterally.

' The sprocket-wheel 27 is secured on the l bull-wheel shaft adjacent to and just within the cap-sill 9.

The main drive-shaft 28'is journaled in bearings in the jack-post 7 on the main sill 2,"

and a corresponding post onthe sub-sill 4, the latter having braces 29 mortised and wedged to make it rigid.

Secured on the main drive-shaft is a beltwheel 30.at a point between the supports which receives its power from a belt31 from the engine or motor. Loosely mounted on the main clrive shaft is a sprocket-wheel 32, and a sprocket-chain 33 extends around the two sprocket-wheels 32 and 27 for trans mitting power from the former to the latter. to drive the bullwheel shaft. The clutch 34 is keyed to slide on the drive-shaft, and is adapted to clutch the sprocket-wheel 32 thereof whenit is desired to withdraw the tools from the well and wind the cable 21'on the bull wheel shaft. 1 7

There are two cranks 35 and 36 on the main shaft, one on each end, and a wrist-pin" 37 is adaptedto connect theconnecting-rod 1 38 which extends to ;and operates the walki j ing-beamand the crank. 35, and spud cable 39 is adapted to extend from the main operating cable to the other crank 36 during the spudding operation.

. V Whenspuddingythe cross-brace 25 is removed,'and the operating cable is, passed under aremovable pulley 40 iournaled in a slot '41, in the forward end of the sub-sill.- This pulley is only used during the spudding operation, and it onlyhas to beremoved during the drilling operation,which is done by taking out pin 42 upon which it is journaledL The numeral 43 represents the mast, Which may be made 1n. two sections, as customary, and braced by the usual guys 44. r

V This has theusual crown pulley and san reel pulley 45 and 46, only, inmy invention 1 operating cable,

the sand reel pulley is mounted at the extreme upper end of the mast, instead of on the side'as heretofore. The mast, while resting upon the forward mud sill, is held there by hinge 47, which admits of its being swung down from its vertical position when the machine is to be moved, or being swung back in place when the machine is set up for operation.

The sand-reel 48 is mounted at the rear, one end in a sliding bearing which is operated by the connecting-rods and link mechanism 50, 51, and the operating lever 52, and 7 this reel is provided with a friction-drum 53 in position to engage the periphery of the drive-wheel. This sand-reel is also provided with a band-brake 54 which stops and holds the reel when the friction-wheelis removed from engagement with the drive-wheel, it

. having cranks on each end thereof, a drivewheel secured thereon between the cranks, a sprocket-wheel loosely mounted thereon, means for clutching said sprocket-wheel to the shaft, a sprocket-wheel on the bull wheel shaft, a sprocket chain extending over said sprocket-wheel, a cable adapted to extend from one of the cranks to the operating cable for spudding, a' walking-beam and a connecting-rod extending from the walkingbeam to the crank on the other end of the. main driveshaft, said drive-shaft with its cranks and transmission mechanism extending in the general line of operation of the V o I a -.2. The combination with a base,'a mast, a bull-wheel shaft, an operating cable, a drive'-' shaft and a spudding cable, of a pulley journaled in a slot in the sub+sill of the base around which theoperating cable extends through the spudding operation, and a pin on which said pulley is mounted capable of being removed when the operating cable is to be used in the drilling operation.

3. The combinationof a base, a mast, a bull wheel shaftand operating cable, posts secured to, the base, diagonal andcrossbraces and tension-braces, a drive-shaft having means of transmission thereon,-cranks on opposite ends thereof, a walking-beam,

means for ,jconnecting the walking-beam to one of said cranks, and a spudding cable for connecting the othercrank to the operating table. 7

In testimony whereof LEVI .B. EkAs.

I aflix my si nature. a 

